More than 200 minors have been arrested or charged amid protests in Albania, while the Ombudsperson and rights organisations report allegations of police violence and breaches of safeguards designed to protect children.
In a video shared on Monday evening, a group of police officers can be seen rushing towards several young people and beating them with batons. Amid the blows, one of them can be heard shouting that he is only 13 years old.
BIRN was unable to independently verify the ages of the young people in the video, but similar footage showing police in Tirana using violence against protesters, including minors, has circulated widely in the media and on social media over the past week.
The footage has raised concerns about how the State Police is treating children and teenagers involved in the wave of protests against Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government.
Subscribe to Balkan Insight Premium to read the full article.
Please login to your account below if you are already a Premium Subscriber.
Buy Premium Subscription
Our Premium Service gives you full access to all content published on BalkanInsight.com, including analyses, investigations, comments, interviews and more. Choose your subscription today and get unparalleled in-depth coverage of the Southern and Eastern Europe.
If you have trouble logging in or any other questions regarding you account, please contact us